University of Arkansas receives $1.5M endowment for Italian program

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Officials with the University of Arkansas announced a $1.5 million gift from the Marinoni family to establish the Professor Antonio Marinoni and Rosa Zagnoni Marinoni Endowed Chair in Italian.

According to a spokesperson, the endowed chair was celebrated during a campus luncheon earlier this month, with inaugural chair holder Ryan Calabretta-Sajder introduced to the audience.

Few families have had as much influence on Arkansas and the University of Arkansas as Antonio and Rosa Marinoni, whose contributions to language and poetry studies are now honored through the new chair, helping attract distinguished faculty and advance research and public service in Italian studies, officials said.

Mauro Lorenzini, Consul General of Italy in Houston, attended the event and presented Calabretta-Sajder with the Order of the Star of Italy, the second highest civic honor from the Italian government, officials said.

Fayetteville Mayor Molly Rawn read a proclamation recognizing the Marinoni family’s impact on the city and state, and additional remarks were delivered by Mary Sue Marinoni Shaw, Lia Uribe, Fulbright College associate dean for the arts and humanities, and U of A Provost Indrajeet Chaubey, officials said.